Vehicle mounted loading hoist

ABSTRACT

The invention is a vehicle mounted loading hoist for use with a vehicle having a pair of spaced parallel rails positioned on a load carrying bed. A carriage is positioned for movement along the rails and a hoist is mounted on the carriage. The carriage includes a pair of axles mounting wheels which ride on the rails. A motor is positioned at one side of the carriage and drive chains on that side of the carriage are connected from the motor to the axles to selectively drive the loading hoist along the rails. An outrigger assembly is provided on the carriage. The outrigger assembly includes a mechanism for adjusting the positions of a pair of outrigger legs both horizontally and vertically. The outrigger legs may also be moved between storage and operative positions.

United States Patent 91 Dunbar [451 Jan. 8, 1974 VEHICLE MOUNTED LOADINGHOIST [21] Appl. No.: 244,414

Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Assistant Examiner-Lawrence J.Oresky Att0rneyCarl F. Schaffer et a1.

57 ABSTRACT The invention is a vehicle mounted loading hoist for usewith a vehicle having a pair of spaced parallel rails positioned on aload carrying bed. A carriage is positioned for movement along the railsand a hoist is mounted on the carriage. The carriage includes a pair ofaxles mounting wheels which ride on the rails. A motor is positioned atone side of the carriage and drive chains on that side of the carriageare connected from the motor to the axles to selectively drive theloading hoist along the rails. An outrigger assembly is provided on thecarriage. The outrigger assembly includes a mechanism for adjusting thepositions of a pair of outrigger legs both horizontally and vertically.The outrigger legs may also be moved between storage and operativepositions.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAN 8 I974 SHEU 2 BF 3 VEHICLEMOUNTED LOADING HOIST BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates to self-loading and unloading vehicles and more particularly toan improved loading hoist which is mounted on vehicles having a loadcarrying bed. Vehicle mounted loading hoists are known to the art andthe present invention is an improvement of, for example, the vehiclemounted loading hoist shown in US. Pat. No. 3,547,284 granted Dec. 15,1970.

One of the problems with prior art vehicle mounted loading hoists isthat the operator had to use caution with respect to extending a hoistboom to positions spaced from the sides of the vehicle bed. This problemwas compounded when the hoist was used to lift heavy loads or thevehicle was at a construction site and, for example, was located on aportion of hilly land as opposed to a paved loading area. Some vehiclesare provided with jacks or outriggers to reduce this problem. However,such outriggers often support the vehicle at only one fixed positionadjacent the end of the vehicle. Where the loading hoist is movable, itmay not be located above the supported portion of the vehicle.Furthermore, the forces exerted on the mounting means which attaches theloading hoist to the vehicle may be extremely high in such vehicles.

Another problem with prior art vehicle mounted loading hoists which movealong a load carrying bed occurs when drive mechanisms for moving suchloading hoists do not provide the immediate response necessary for thehoist operator to coordinate the movement of the hoist along the vehiclebed as a boom mechanism of the loading hoist is simultaneously moved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to animproved carriage for a vehicle mounted loading hoist which moves alonga pair of spaced parallel rails in a load carrying bed of a vehicle. Thecarriage includes a pair of axles mounted in axle boxes which fit overthe spaced rails. Wheels are mounted on each axle to engage the rails. Amotor is positioned at one side of the carriage and drives chains whichare connected to drive the axles for selectively moving the carriagealong the rails. The carriage is also provided with an outriggerassembly. The outrigger assembly includes a pair of outrigger legs whichextend horizontally from the carriage and vertically for engaging theground on opposite sides of the vehicle load carrying bed. The outriggerlegs are designed such that they may be folded onto the carriage forStorage. Since the outrigger legs are mounted directly on the carriage,the loading hoist will be stabilized for all positions of the carriageon the vehicle bed. Furthermore, stresses in the means connecting thecarriage to the rails will be reduced, regardless of the location of thecarriage on the vehicle.

Accordingly, a preferred object of the present invention is to providean improved loading hoist for mounting on a load carrying bed of avehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an im proved carriage fora vehicle mounted loading hoist which includes an outrigger assembly forstabilizing such loading hoist.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved drivefor a vehicle mounted loading hoist.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description, with reference being made to theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, sideelevational view of a vehicle including a vehicle mounted loading hoistaccording to the present invention and showing in dashed lines analternative position of the loading hoist carriage;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary end view of the vehicle of FIG. 1 andshowing the vehicle mounted hoist according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 33 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary section taken along line 4-4of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horiztontal sectional view taken along line 5-5of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the carriage for avehicle mounted loading hoist according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross section of an outriggerassembly for a vehicle mounted loading hoist according to the presentinvention; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, avehicle mounted loading hoist according to the present invention isgenerally indicated by the reference number 10. The loading hoist 10 ismounted on a vehicle including a tractor l1 and a trailer 12. Thetrailer 12 has a load carrying bed 13. The load carrying bed 13 of thetrailer 12 includes a pair of longitudinally extending I-beams 14 and aplurality of laterally spaced girders 15 which intersect and are weldedto the I-beams 14. Wood planking 16 is positioned on the girders 15 andforms the upper surface of the bed 13. The I-beams 14 have upper flangesor rails 17 with upper surfaces 18 on which the loading hoist 10 rides.The rails 17 are positioned inwardly from side edges 19 of the bed 13 apredetermined distance. The bed 13 has a rear end 20 and a front end 21and the rails 17 extend from the rear end 20 to the front end 21. Stops(not shown) may be provided at the ends 20 and 21 adjacent the rails 17to retain the loading hoist 10 on the load carrying bed 13.

The loading hoist 10 generally comprises a boom or hoist assembly 25 anda carriage 26. The hoist assembly 25 is mounted on the carriage 26 toride along the rails 17 in the load carrying bed 13. The hoist assembly25 includes a base 27 for attachment to the carriage 26 by anyconventional means, as by welding or bolting. A mast 28 extendsvertically upwardly from the base 27 and supports a movable boom 29. Inthe present embodiment, the boom 29 has several articulated sections 30,31 and 32. The boom 29 rotates relative to the mast 28. Movement of theboom sections 31 and 32 is controlled by a pair of hydraulic cylinders33. A rack and pinion drive assembly (not shown) controls the rotationalmovement between the mast 28 and the boom 29. A cable 34 is shownconnected to the boom 29 and mounts a load engager 35 at its lowermostend. The load engager 35 shown in FIG. 1 is preferably of the kind andstructure shown in my US. Letters Patent No.

3,239,072, although other conventional load engagers such as a hook or agrapple may also be used. The load engager 35 may be attached to thecable 34 with a swivel. In FIG. 1, the load engager 35 is shown moving apallet loaded with concrete blocks 36 from a position adjacent the rearend 20 of the bed 13.

Turning now to FIGS. 2-6, the carriage 26 is shown in detail. Thecarriage 26 includes a pair of axle boxes 40 having spaced side members41 interconnected by two mounting brackets 42 and 43 and a member 44.Inwardly directed shoes 45 are formed on the lower edge of the sidemembers 41 for engaging the upper flanges or rails 17 of the I-beams 14when the carriage 26 is tipped. A pair of axles 46 and 47 extend betweenends of the axle boxes 40 and are mounted to rotate in bearings 48.Wheels 49 are attached to each end of the axles 46 and 47 on the portionof the axles located between the side members 41 of the axle boxes 40such that the wheels 49 ride on the upper surfaces 18 of the rails 17.

A motor 50, such as a hydraulic motor, is provided for driving thewheels 49 to move the carriage 26 along the rails 17. The motor 50 has adriven shaft 51 to which a pair of sprockets 52 are attached. Sprockets53 are also attached to one end of each of the axles 46 and 47. A pairof chains 54 are connected between the sprockets 52 and the sprockets 53such that the axles 46 and 47 are rotated by the motor 50. As the axles46 and 47 are rotated, the wheels 49 move the carriage 26 along therails 17.

A base 58 is attached to the axle boxes 40 for mounting the boom orhoist assembly 25. An end 59 of the base 58 is bolted to the mountingbrackets 42 on the axle boxes 40 by means of a pair of brackets 60. Anopposite end 61 of the base 58 is connected through a tubular flange 62to a bracket 63 which is bolted to the mounting brackets 42 on the axleboxes 40. The flange 62 is permitted to rotate by a small degree withinthe bracket 63 so that all four of the wheels 49 will normally ride onthe upper surface 18 of the rails 17. In a preferred embodiment of theinvention, the base 58 is in the form of a closed rectangular box whichserves as a reservoir for holding hydraulic fluid. A conventionalhydraulic pump (not shown) may be used for delivering fluid underpressure fromthe reservoir base 58 to the motor 50 and to the hydrauliccylinders 33 for moving the carriage 26 and for operating the boomassembly 25.

According to the present invention, a pair of outrigger assemblies 64are attached to the base 58 for stabilizing the loading hoist whilelifting either a heavy load or a load spaced at an extreme distance fromeither side 19 of the vehicle load carrying bed 13. A pair of channels65 are welded to opposite sides 66 of the base 58 for mounting theoutrigger assemblies 64. Reinforcing plates 67 are also welded betweenthe bottom of each channel 65 and a bottom 68 of the base 58 tostrengthen the joints between the channels 65 and the base 58, sincethese joints may be subjected to extreme stresses.

Each outrigger assembly 64 includes an upper tubular section 69 and anadjustable leg consisting of an outer section 70 and an inner section 71which telescopes into the outer section 70. A pin 72 is provided toconnect the outer and inner sections 70 and 71 through selected holes 73in the outer section 70 and holes 74 in the inner section 71. When theoutrigger assemblies 64 are in an operational position, as is best shownin FIG. 2, the holes 73 and 74 through which the pin 72 is passed areselected such that a foot 75 on the lower end of the inner section 71 ofeach .outrigger assembly 64 contacts the ground 76. The outer legsection 70 is connected to the upper tubular section 69 by means of apin 77. The pin 77 permits the leg sections 70 and 71 to pivot withrespect to the upper section 69 so that the leg sections 70 and 71 maybe vertically oriented, even though the trailer 12 is located on aninclined or irregular surface at a construction site.

As best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, a tube 80 is welded to the channel 65 totelescopically receive the upper tubular section 69 of the outriggerassembly 64. A flange 81 is connected to the tube 80 and a pin 82is'attached to the channel 65 to contact the flange 81 and the tube 80,thereby restraining the tube 80 from vertical or axial movement withinthe channel 65. In attaching the tube 80 to the channel 65,consideration must be given to the width of the trailer 12. Therefore,the tube 80 may be attached to the channel 65 in the field, after theloading hoist is delivered to a purchaser.

A removable pin 83 is provided for selectively locking the tubularsection 69 to the tube 80. Two pairs of holes 84 and 85 are provided inthe tubular section 69 for receiving the pin 83. The pin 83 passesthrough the holes 84, as shown in FIG. 7, when the outrigger assembly 64is in an operating position and the pin 83 passes through the holes 85when the ou'trigger assembly 64 is retracted or folded for storage.

The method of storing the outrigger assemblies 64 is best shown in FIGS.6 and 8. The pin 83 is removed from the holes 84 in the tubular section69 and the outrigger assembly is rotated such that the leg sections 70and 71 extend horizontally. The tubular section 69 is then telescopedinto the tube 80 and the pin 83 is insorted through the holes 85,thereby locking the leg sections 70 and 71 in a horizontal positionadjacent the channel 65. The leg sections 70 and 71 are subsequentlypivoted on the pin 77 until the feet 75 are adjacent the end 59 of thebase 58. In this position, the outer leg section 70 is located betweensides 86 of a retaining bracket 87. A pin 88 is inserted in theretaining bracket 87 to lock the outrigger assembly 64 in the storageposition, as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 6. When the outriggerassemblies 64 are in the folded or storage position, they occupy verylittle space and will not extend beyond the normal depth of the carriage26 or beyond the width of the load carrying bed 13. It will be apparentthat the outrigger assemblies 64 do not diminish the load carrying areaof the trailer bed 13. To facilitate moving the outrigger assemblies 64between the storage position'and an operating position, handles 89 areprovided on the tubular sections 69 and handles 90 are provided on thefeet 75.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may bemade in the above-described loading hoist without departing from thespirit and the scope of the claimed invention. The design of the hoistor boom assembly 25, for example, may be modified by attaching anycommercially available hoist assembly to the carriage 26.

What I claim is:

1. In a vehicle mounted loading hoist for use with a vehicle having aload carrying bed, such vehicle having a pair of spaced parallel railsextending along the length of such bed, and wherein said loading hoistincludes a hoist assembly mounted upon a carriage for movement alongsuch rails, an improved carriage for such hoist assembly comprising, incombination, a base for mounting said hoist assembly, axle assembliesdepending from said base and having wheels for engaging such rails,means for rotating at least one of said wheels to drive said carriagealong said rails, and outrigger means attached to said carriage, saidoutrigger means being movable between a ground engaging position and astorage position, and means for retaining said ground engaging means inthe storage position, said ground engaging means including means formoving said ground engaging means in a lineal direction towards and awayfrom said carriage whereby said ground outrigger means extends beyondopposite sides of the load carrying bed in the ground engaging positionand said outrigger means does not extend beyond such sides of the loadcarrying bed in the storage position, said ground engaging means alsoincluding a horizontal extendible outrigger means and a verticallyswingable and longitudinally extensible leg means pivotally attached ata pivot below said outrigger means, whereby said leg means is swung to astorage position parallel to said horizontal outrigger means.

2. In a vehicle mounted loading hoist, an improved carriage, as setforth in claim 1, wherein said rotating means comprises a pair of drivesprockets, means attaching one of said sprockets to each axle, ahydraulic motor having a driven shaft, a pair of sprockets attached tosaid shaft, and a pair of drive chains, one of said chains connectingthe sprocket on one axle to the one sprocket on said shaft and the otherchain connecting the sprocket on the other axle to the other sprocket onsaid shaft 3. Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said horizontalextendible outrigger means comprises a horizontal receiving memberoperatively connected to said base and a horizontal telescoping memberreceived by said horizontal receiving member.

4. Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said extensible leg meanscomprises an outer leg section pivotally attached below said horizontalextendible outrigger means and an inner leg section received by saidouter leg section.

5. Apparatus, according to claim 4, including means for adjusting thelength of the extensible leg means.

1. In a vehicle mounted loading hoist for use with a vehicle having aload carrying bed, such vehicle having a pair of spaced parallel railsextending along the length of such bed, and wherein said loading hoistincludes a hoist assembly mounted upon a carriage for movement alongsuch rails, an improved carriage for such hoist assembly comprising, incombination, a base for mounting said hoist assembly, axle assembliesdepending from said base and having wheels for engaging such rails,means for rotating at least one of said wheels to drive said carriagealong said rails, and outrigger means attached to said carriage, saidoutrigger means being movable between a ground engaging position and astorage position, and means for retaining said ground engaging means inthe storage position, said ground engaging means including means formoving said ground engaging means in a lineal direction towards and awayfrom said carriage whereby said ground outrigger means extends beyondopposite sides of the load carrying bed in the ground engaging positionand said outrigger means does not extend beyond such sides of the loadcarrying bed in the storage position, said ground engaging means alsoincluding a horizontal extendible outrigger means and a verticallyswingable and longitudinally extensible leg means pivotally attached ata pivot below said outrigger means, whereby said leg means is swung to astorage position parallel to said horizontal outrigger means.
 2. In avehicle mounted loading hoist, an improved carriage, as set forth inclaim 1, wherein said rotating means comprises a pair of drivesprockets, means attaching one of said sprockets to each axle, ahydraulic motor having a driven shaft, a pair of sprockets attached tosaid shaft, and a pair of drive chains, one of said chains connectingthe sprocket on one axle to the one sprocket on said shaft and the otherchain connecting the sprocket on the other axle to the other sprocket onsaid shaft.
 3. Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said horizontalextendible outrigger means comprises a horizontal receiving memberoperatively connected to said base and a horizontal telescoping memberreceived by said horizontal receiving member.
 4. Apparatus, according toclaim 1, wherein said extensible leg means comprises an outer legsection pivotally attached below said horizontal extendible outriggermeans and an inner leg section received by said outer leg section. 5.Apparatus, according to claim 4, including means for adjusting thelength of the extensible leg means.